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What do you think will the online gambling trends of 2022 be? A simple question asked by CasinosHunter, an online casino reviewing platform, in a roundup interview which featured answers from the leading igaming experts, including our COO, Peter Vozar and Game Producer Samuel Zido. James Costantini, Head of Account Management joined the Tom Horn team to share his take on the upcoming trends in igaming.

According to the opinions collected, the upcoming months will be busy with innovations and trends which are sure to take the igaming industry to the next level.  

While the insightful comments mentioned a number of trends including VR games development, improved games sound, or customisation tools for games, our colleagues pinpointed the five major areas that are sure to shape the future of online gaming. – 5G network, eclecticism and recycling of tried-and-tested gaming concepts, new technologies and platforms – Cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and the Metaverse, entertainment giants entering the gambling arena, and E-sports on the rise.

5G network and igaming industry

According to our COO, Peter Vozar, 5G network will be the talk of the coming months as it presents immense possibilities to transform game development and elevate gaming experiences. 

“The commercial use of 5G is an incredibly hot topic right now, and I  believe that we might see the mass use of the 5G network become a reality in late 2022 or early 2023.

He continues: “The 5G network will provide end users with a significantly higher real-life download speed, latencies as low as only a few millisecond, and unlimited data transfer. This technological leap will be transformational and it will have a profound impact on the ways and possibilities of how game providers offer their new games. 

5G networks will offer a more cohesive player experience and as Peter Vozar says: “We will no longer perceive the game size, graphics, animations and sounds as limitations on game development. We will be able to supply more action, dynamic gameplay and even create an immersive story to engage players more. Some slot games will bear a more resemblance to classic video games we play on traditional gaming consoles or films with first-class camera work. 

While he’s optimistic about the revolution 5G will bring forward in game design, download speed and other aspects of game development, he is more reserved when it comes to the game sounds: “The game sounds will change as well. Not so much the quality, because here we are still limited by the technical capabilities of small speakers in mobile devices, but the complexity and immersiveness of sounds. I believe that the phenomenon of repetitive background loops will be history. “

Eclecticism and golden goldies with a twist

Samuel Zido,  our Game Producer, thinks we will keep on returning to the concepts which have stood the test of time: “I think there are two areas to consider when it comes to the 2022 gaming trends. First, just like any other industry, the  igaming community will brush up on tried-and-tested concepts. We will see a number of ‘remakes’ of popular evergreen slot games gracing casino lobbies. This approach brings a flare of nostalgia, whilst enabling a younger demographic of players to get a taste of what their ‘parents’ used to play back in the day.

His second prediction is that game development will be marked by an eclectic approach where we will combine the uncombinable – from features to  themes.

Cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and the Metaverse

The Metaverse is no longer only a buzzword or an abstract concept, but it is getting a concrete shape and game developers are slowly embracing the many possibilities this new platform offers. We use cryptocurrencies and NFTs more and more in our everyday lives. For James Costantini, Head of AM, the above mentioned  areas are one of the hottest trends of 2022 and beyond.

“Blockchain technology, Cryptocurrencies, NFT, VR. I’m mentioning all of these areas together as they are interconnected technologies.”

He continues: “Digital coins used in different Blockchain ecosystems are pretty widespread in Asia, where they started taking bitcoin deposits, but in Western countries, any progress will take more time because of the stricter regulations. 

Non-Fungible Tokens are on the other hand digital items that are created uniquely or minted. During gaming, players may find traceable collectibles that could be sold for profit. Facebook/Meta’s announcement of the creation of Metaverse pushed VR further into the public attention and continues to drive greater immersion in games, see PokerStars Sport which already offers VR products. However, the adoption of VR as end-users need access to expensive equipment so will take longer to roll on.

I consider these technologies very promising but still a slow-burning online gambling trend until the costs won’t go down.”

Established Entertainment Giants entering the gambling arena

James Constantini continues with trend number two which he sees in new entrants, entertainment giants, joining the realm of igaming: “One of the trends gaining traction in online gambling are new entrants such as established entertainment companies, which start including betting and gambling in their offerings. 

Netflix has already launched games based on its series and movies, which could point towards a possibility for casino games in the future. Disney’s $3 billion multiyear licensing contract with DraftKings is already a fact. Amazon may also follow suit.”

“What Todd Haushalter predicted at the end of 2019 during the Igaming next conference is definitely coming to reality and our industry leaders will have to trade off know-how and Innovation to maintain their position in the market,” he added.

E-sports 

E-sports have gained incredible popularity during the pandemic and James Costantini predicts this trend will continue: “We observed a tremendous increase in e-sports betting demand over the last 5 years, and more during the pandemic. There are always more gamers out there who have realized the potential of an unexploited market. These gamers simply want to earn money from their gaming knowledge. Besides, many online gamblers worldwide are now placing bets on professional contests in different Games (League of Legend, Fortnite Dota 2 Etc..). Twitch is also an amazing ecosystem to promote that and I see Gen Z changing the way the millennials were used to separate the concept of video games from the Casino/Sports betting industry.”